Drug Recommendation

Not part of a recommended or alternative treatment regimen for antiretroviral-naive people living with HIV, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents. Listed as a a component of "other" regimen options. Visit http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/contentfiles/lvguidelines/aa_recommendations.pdf for the full DHHS guidelines.

General Info

Kaletra is an HIV medication. It is in a category of HIV medicines called protease inhibitors. Kaletra was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use by people living with HIV in 2000.

Kaletra is a combination of two drugs: lopinavir and and Norvir (ritonavir). Norvir can be purchased individually for use in combination with other HIV drugs.

Kaletra must be combined with other HIV drugs.

Dosage

Adult Dose: Two tablets twice a day, or four tablets once a day, depending on HIV drug resistance. Each tablet contains 200 mg lopinvir and 50 mg Norvir (ritonavir).

Pediatric Dose: Once daily dosing not recommended. Twice daily dosing is based on body weight or body surface area and should not exceed the adult daily dose.

Dosing Info: Take with or without food.

Side Effects

The most common side effects seen in people taking Kaletra are abnormal stools (bowel movements), feeling weak/tired, headache, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Children may sometimes get a skin rash.

Drug-induced hepatitis (liver injury) has been reported in people taking protease inhibitors, including Kaletra. This usually occurred in people who had extremely low CD4 cells, were taking multiple other medications and who were also infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). Lab tests to monitor liver function is an important component of routine follow-up care and important for people using protease inhibitors.

Some people taking Kaletra can develop serious problems with their pancreas (pancreatitis), which may cause death. This is especially true in people who have had pancreatitis in the past. Tell your doctor if you have nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain, since these may be signs of pancreatitis.

Some people may experience increases in their lipid levels (triglycerides and cholesterol) or diabetes risk while being treated with protease inhibitors, including Kaletra.

Other Info

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or liver disease (including hepatitis B). In addition, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, if you are breastfeeding, and all your medical conditions.

It is also very important that your health care provider and pharmacist know all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you are taking at all times while using an HIV treatment regimen that contains Kaletra.

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